These Red Wolves Are So Important in Saving Their Species From Extinction

At one time, they roamed all throughout the southeastern U.S., but now the red wolf is the most endangered canid in the world.

Transcript

00:00At first glance, this animal looks very similar to those furry friends you may have at home.

00:06But as you look closer, you'll notice this is no ordinary dog.

00:11This is the red wolf.

00:15It's a member of the canid family, which includes 14 types of mammals,

00:20including wolves, foxes, coyotes, and yep, you guessed it, domestic dogs.

00:27In fact, the wolf is the ancestor of all dogs, both big and small.

00:35The red wolf is the most endangered canid in the world.

00:40At one time, they roamed all throughout the southeastern United States,

00:44from Pennsylvania to Florida and as far west as Texas.

00:49By 1980, this beautiful animal was completely extinct in the wild.

00:53But not all hope was lost.

00:55Today, there are about 40 red wolves in the wild in a small portion of North Carolina,

01:02thanks to reintroduction programs.

01:04Reintroduction is when animals raised or rehabilitated in human care,

01:09like at a zoo or wildlife refuge,

01:11are able to be released back into their natural habitat to help their populations rebuild.

01:16This has been successfully done with all different types of animals,

01:19but it can be difficult work.

01:21That's why this red wolf population at the North Carolina Zoo is so important.

01:27In front of the scenes, a couple of amazing animal ambassadors help to inform people about their species,

01:33while behind the scenes, one pair of wolves just had a litter of pups.

01:39You may be wondering where they are.

01:41The pups and their parents have very little interaction with keepers and guests.

01:45This will help them to be more successful if they're selected to be released back into the wild.

01:51The staff at North Carolina Zoo works tirelessly with other zoos and wildlife refuges

01:56to help raise the red wolf's wild population.

01:59Joining San Diego Zoo Global in our fight to end extinction.

02:03Transcription by CastingWords

02:04Transcription by CastingWords